Not So Picture Perfect – Finding God in the Messy Middle of Life

Truthfully, this post is long overdue. I first sat down to write it back in July, but every attempt left me staring at the screen, overwhelmed by a wave of emotions I wasn’t prepared to face. At first, I thought I was dealing with writer’s block, but any writer knows that sometimes the words aren’t blocked... we are. I would type, delete, pause, take breaks, and stare into space, hoping courage would catch up with me. In reality, I wasn’t struggling to find the words… I was struggling to face them.

Somewhere in the middle of all that backspacing and trying to polish the story into something tidy and presentable, I realized I wasn’t wrestling with writer’s block at all. I was battling the fear of man. I was more concerned about how my words would be received and how the people in the story might be perceived than I was about simply obeying God and just telling the truth. And in that careful avoidance, I put down one of the things I love most—writing.

Let me rewind a bit.

For most of my life, I never saw myself as someone who struggled with transparency. In fact, a writing coach once told me that my transparency was one of my strengths, my ability to write as if I were the big sister sitting across the table from you, sipping tea (because I don’t drink coffee), sharing the lessons life has taught me. Over time, I have learned to steward that transparency wisely. Not every detail needs to be shared publicly, especially when other people’s stories are intertwined with mine. Testimonies may set us free, but wisdom reminds us to honor the hearts of the people involved. Ecclesiastes 3:7 says there is “a time to be silent and a time to speak,” and some stories must wait until those affected are ready.

When Life Doesn’t Match the Instagram Feed

In today’s world of filters, curated feeds, and carefully cropped highlight reels, it’s easy to scroll through social media and assume that everyone else’s life is picture-perfect. But deep down, we all know that social media is not real life. We usually only share the moments worth celebrating, and rightfully so. Who wants to relive their lowest valleys publicly?

Yet, there are times when sharing what we’ve walked through doesn’t just free us—it frees someone else. Revelation 12:11 tells us, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony...” And in Revelation 19:10, we are reminded, “...For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Every time we share what Jesus has done, we declare what He is able to do again in the lives of others.

When My Testimony Didn’t Look Like Theirs

I remember sitting in church for years listening to testimonies of miracle checks, houses, cars, and remarkable blessings. I had never experienced any of those, and I began to secretly wonder, “Lord… is something wrong with my faith?”

Then one day, God spoke so gently to my heart. He said, Your inheritance will be family.

Suddenly, it made sense. The areas we are called to most deeply are often the areas in which we are tested most intensely.

When Life Unraveled Quietly

A little over a year ago, my family went through something that shook me to my core, but as we walked through this season, I kept God’s promises at the forefront of my mind. As the oldest daughter, I handled it the way oldest daughters often do, by holding everyone else together while quietly falling apart myself. I told myself I was fine, but the mirror told another story. My hair unkept, and my clothes baggy from weight loss.

I may have stayed stuck in that place for much longer if a friend hadn’t stopped me and simply asked, “Mabel, are you taking care of yourself?”

That question was the permission I needed not to be picture perfect.

She looked at my overgrown braids, and I exhaled for what felt like the first time. “I’m just getting by,” I told her. “I know there will be light at the end of this tunnel.”

And though it often felt like every breakthrough was followed by more difficult news, somewhere in the middle of the mess, God was holding us together. Slowly, small moments became my reminders:

• My sisters’ and sister-in-law’s graduations

• Sharing childhood stories with my niece and nephews

• Birthday celebrations

• Late-night video calls filled with laughter

These weren’t highlight reel moments, but they were holy. They were sacred reminders that God was still restoring joy, one moment at a time.

The Restoration Behind the Photos

If someone looked only at my social media, they might have thought everything was going wonderfully. But behind the smiling photos was a heart learning to trust God in unfamiliar territory. Looking back, I can see that in each celebration, each conversation, each visit, God was quietly restoring my hope, faith, and trust in Him. 

If You’re in a Not-So-Picture-Perfect Season Too…

You are not alone. Faith doesn’t always look like mountaintop victories. Sometimes it looks like:

• Getting out of bed

• Asking for help

• Crying out to God

• Choosing to believe again tomorrow

  
  

God sees you, not your filters, not your captions, not your public face. You.

And He still has a plan.

Hold on. Healing is coming, even if it starts in small, quiet ways.

As always, Live in Him and For Him